Route 202 detour starts Thursday, Feb. 26 in King of Prussia for sinkhole repairs

Route 202 detour starts Thursday in King of Prussia

Southbound Route 202 in King of Prussia will close for sinkhole remediation starting Thursday, Feb. 26, with detours in place through late fall as part of PennDOT’s Mobility Grouting Program.

KING OF PRUSSIA - A section of southbound Route 202 in King of Prussia will close starting Thursday as PennDOT begins the next phase of a long-term project to address sinkholes and prevent future road problems.

Detours and roadwork planned for Route 202

What we know:

Signs are already up warning drivers about the closure and detours on southbound Route 202, also known as Dekalb Pike, between Prince Frederick Boulevard and Henderson Road. 

The project is focused on sinkhole remediation, with crews set to drill hundreds of holes in a grid pattern and inject pressurized grout to fill underground voids, according to PennDOT.

PennDOT says this area has dealt with sinkholes for decades. 

"The water company has been out here, we've had some watermain issues and anytime water infiltrates the soil and below the roadway surface it just creates crevices and cavities that breakdown and cause these sinkholes," said Brad Rudolph.

The detour will send drivers onto Saulin Boulevard and Henderson Road before reconnecting with Route 202 south. 

"It is a short detour, but it does get congested. These are roadways that are not typically designed to handle as much traffic as 202 has," said Rudolph.

The short closure is expected to last through late fall, with the goal of fixing current sinkholes and preventing new ones.

What they're saying:

Some drivers and business owners have mixed feelings about the project. "I'm not 100% confident that it's going to resolve it once and for all," said Kathy Thomas as she stopped for gas along Route 202.

Aylene Leas, who lives nearby and works at a local 7-Eleven, said, "It's definitely necessary but it's a huge inconvenience." She recalled a similar detour when crews worked on the northbound side last year. "Because they're closing all of this off on us," she said, adding that it will affect businesses in the area. 

"So, I live down on the other side of Saulin Boulevard, so everybody is on that road, and it cuts off all the traffic coming through town the normal way," she said.

Deandre Moore said he wants the work done all at once. "Just get it all done. You gotta keep shutting down the road and it is just messing up everybody's commute time," he said.

PennDOT’s approach is to address the underlying causes of sinkholes and keep the roadway safe for the long term.

The project is designed to make Route 202 safer and more reliable by tackling a problem that has caused repeated road closures and repairs in the past. 

While the detour is expected to be short, drivers should plan for congestion and possible delays, especially during peak travel times.

Local businesses and residents may see changes in traffic patterns and access, but PennDOT says the work is necessary to prevent bigger problems down the road.

What we don't know:

PennDOT has not provided a specific end date for the project, and it is unclear if additional phases will be needed in the future to fully resolve sinkhole issues in the area.